Self & Others

 SELF & OTHERS   “WORTH CONSIDERING” 

(Centered in the world or centered in the heavens.)
9/20/19  by Ken Smith <><

We are born in this temporary physical world and we tend to live like it is eternal and we are the center from birth.  Two babies and one milk bottle in one crib and you automatically have war.  We are born spiritually dead with the genes and nature of fallen Adam who submitted to lucifer.  In sharing with the religious rulers of HIS day in John 8 Jesus made the following remarks:   ²⁰ Jesus said these things in the treasury while He was teaching in the temple [^[c]court]; but no one ventured to arrest Him, because His hour had not yet come. ²¹ Therefore He said again to them, I am going away, and you will be looking for Me, and you will die in (under the curse of) your sin. Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come. ²² At this the Jews began to ask among themselves, Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come? ²³ He said to them, You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world (of this earthly order); I am not of this world. ²⁴ That is why I told you that you will die in (under the curse of) your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He [Whom I claim to be—if you do not adhere to, trust in, and rely on Me], you will die in your sins. ²⁵ Then they said to Him, Who are You anyway? Jesus replied, [Why do I even speak to you!] I am exactly what I have been telling you from the first. ²⁶ I have much to say about you and to judge and condemn. But He Who sent Me is true (reliable), and I tell the world [only] the things that I have heard from Him. ²⁷ They did not perceive (know, understand) that He was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will realize (know, understand) that I am He [for Whom you look] and that I do nothing of Myself (of My own accord or on My own authority), but I say [exactly] what My Father has taught Me. ²⁹ And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him. ³⁰ As He said these things, many believed in Him [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him]. ³¹ So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. ³² And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.³³ They answered Him, We are Abraham’s offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?³⁴ Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.³⁵ Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.³⁶ So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free. AMPC

So Christ Jesus simple tells us that there are two roads into eternity.  The one we are born into which is temporal, self centered, egotistical, disobedint and prideful.   And the other which is offered to us in Christ Jesus as selfless, humble and obedient to our Creator in making Christ Jesus our LORD (Boss) by choice.  And that way that we live our lives reflects which road that we are on.  One is fearful, the other full of faith.  One is ego centered the other is heavenly centered.  So are you living for the security of this world or the next?  Are we using our resources to make an earthly comfort zone or in helping others to find their way into a heavenly comfort zone. 

So let’s back up a few chapters to John 3 and what does Jesus teach to Nicodemus, a Pharisee?    …”

Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles—and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him.  ³ Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.  ⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb again and be born?  ⁵ Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [^[a]even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.  ⁶ What is born of [from] the flesh is flesh [of the physical is physical]; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.   And then let tag this to John’s understanding in 1 John 4

⁸ and there are three witnesses on the earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree [are in unison; their testimony coincides].  ⁹ If we accept [as we do] the testimony of men [if we are willing to take human authority], the testimony of God is greater (of stronger authority), for this is the testimony of God, even the witness which He has borne regarding His Son.  ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] has the testimony [possesses this divine attestation] within himself. He who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him out to be and represented Him as a liar, because he has not believed (put his faith in, adhered to, and relied on) the evidence (the testimony) that God has borne regarding His Son.  ¹¹ And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  ¹² He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.  ¹³ I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in ^[c]the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, ^[d]yes, eternal life.  ¹⁴ And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.

So we see here that John 3, when Jesus speaks of water HE is referring to a physical body which is mostly a bag of water with bones for structure.  That Christ Jesus is the first to be created as man in the image of God as in Gen.1:27-28.  And we have been invited to become HIS brethren and in HIS likeness 1 John 5:8…⁸ and there are three witnesses on the earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree [are in unison; their testimony coincides].⁹ If we accept [as we do] the testimony of men [if we are willing to take human authority], the testimony of God is greater (of stronger authority), for this is the testimony of God, even the witness which He has borne regarding His Son.¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] has the testimony [possesses this divine attestation] within himself. He who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him out to be and represented Him as a liar, because he has not believed (put his faith in, adhered to, and relied on) the evidence (the testimony) that God has borne regarding His Son.¹¹ And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  ¹² He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.  ¹³ I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in ^[c]the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, ^[d]yes, eternal life.  ¹⁴ And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.  ¹⁷ In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world.

This walk in the process of Sanctification can be short or long as it is subject to our free will and our faith in the Holy Spirit for us to make decisions based on the long view of eternity.  Do I have the faith to give up the ice cream today to be able to have the bike tomorrow?  Making the selfless salvation and growth of others our goal in GOD’s LOVE is expensive in time and resources.  But our Heavenly Father’s primary concern is the salvation and sanctification of souls.  Should this not also be our primary also concern as HIS children?  He has entrusted the good news of the Gospel into our clay hands so we could participate in HIS glory to come.  Jesus freely gave up HIS life in this world for that same Glory.

Yours in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,  Ken<><  www.Trinity-Aloha.org